25 Awesome Bathroom Steampunk Ideas

While a clawfoot tub made of copper would be the ultimate steampunk bathroom idea, it may not work with your budget. Thankfully, there are plenty of other options for steampunk tubs. You can choose one with a copper finish that looks like the real thing, or if you’re really on a budget, you can refinish the outside of your existing or a reclaimed tub with copper spray paint.

For steampunk vibes in the shower, look for fixtures with exposed piping. Sometimes referred to as an industrial style, these shower fixtures are a simple but effective way to bring a touch of wonder to your bathroom. For the most authentic look, choose copper or oil-rubbed bronze finishes.

Shower curtains are inexpensive accessories with big footprints. This means you can spend less but visually get more. There are lots of prints available from which to choose, from traditional steampunk imagery of gears and copper to funny designs with steampunk cats and other animals.

A thin piece of copper piping and some fittings are all you need to create your own steampunk curtain rod. This is a perfect example of a small touch that can make a big impact. Find a shower curtain with copper eyelets (or paint them yourself!) to match and complete the look.

If you’re aiming for a steampunk bathroom, you have to get rid of your plastic shower curtain rings. Simply upgrading to metal will better fit with your decorating scheme, but if you want something more, look for hooks with beads or antique-looking medallions. If you’re handy with a glue gun, you can purchase plain hooks and attach charms from a crafts store.

Like a shower curtain, a bath mat is an affordable way to infuse steampunk style in the bathroom. Choose from printed mats featuring steampunk designs of clocks, gears, and metal piping, or select something a little more abstract — a dark-colored rug with metallic accents, for example, screams steampunk but won’t overwhelm your space.

DIYers can hit up yard sales to find the pieces for making steampunk towel holders. Look for old valves and handles, like you’d find on a propane tank or outdoor spigot, that you can mount to the wall to create a bulky, metal hook for hanging towels. If you can’t find what you need, check out your local hardware store or an online retailer for a ready-made piece.

You have lots of options when it comes to installing a steampunk lighting fixture in your bathroom. An affordable option is to find an attractive, metal fixture at a thrift store and use metallic spray paint to match it to your space. You can also build your own with pipe, light sockets, and paint, or opt for an industrial-style fixture that’s ready to hang.

Accessories are a quick way to bring steampunk style to the bathroom. For example: replacing your boring plastic toilet paper holder with one made of metal and decorated with valves, gauges, and the like. You’ll find everything you need at most any hardware store, and you can typically piece together your finds while you’re there to ensure they fit.

A fun DIY project for crafters of all skill levels, a steampunk bathroom mirror allows you to choose how far into the retrofuturistic realm you’d like to go. Pick up a cheap mirror at a thrift store, and then head to a crafts store to find spray paint and decorations like gears, screws, and clock parts. Paint the frame to match other elements in your bathroom, and then use a hot glue gun to style the mirror.

A steampunk bathroom sink might sound like a considerable investment, but it doesn’t have to be. One way to achieve the look is to get rid of your current white sink bowl and replace it with a copper drop-in. If you have a larger budget, you can exchange your current vanity setup for a gorgeous vessel sink.

No steampunk bathroom remodel is complete without a new faucet. Thankfully, there are tons of industrial-style options from which to choose. No matter which fixture you go with, make sure that it comes with a dark finish. Look for descriptors like rustic, antique, and oil-rubbed when choosing black or brown fixtures to achieve the right look.

The lightswitch is another place where you can have lots of fun when considering steampunk bathroom ideas. If you need something simple, choose a basic cover made of metal. But if you want something that’s sure to make you smile every time you flip the lights, look for a paddle-style cover that’s reminiscent of the switch that brings Frankenstein to life.

Cast iron soap dishes are relatively easy to find, and they easily match the steampunk aesthetic. Finding toothbrush holders and soap dispensers made of this material is a little more difficult, but you can cheat by picking accessories that offer the right color (dark, with metallic accents as a bonus), even if they’re actually made out of something like plastic.

While there are commercially available steampunk shelves that you can purchase, you can also make one yourself if you’re the creative type. For this project, you need steel pipe, couplings, and a wood board. For more storage space, consider a design with multiple shelves.

Your bathroom door is another place where you can make a big impression. If you’d like to keep your existing door, you can sand it and stain it dark brown. Painting the door brown is another option, but note that it will hide the wood grain. To enjoy the look of a metal door without the hefty cost, add decorative kick plates or metal ceiling tiles as accents. If you want something simple but new, you might like the look of a sliding barn door.

While part of the bathroom door, the handle alone can be a statement piece — especially if you elect to go with a simple door. We absolutely love the look of octopus or tentacle door handles (how cool and creepy!), but this is also an opportunity to go with pipes for a hardcore industrial look or crystal and other decorative knobs for a more Victorian feel.

Swap meets, flea markets, and yard sales are perfect opportunities to find vintage cabinet pulls and handles that can be repurposed for a steampunk bathroom. Can’t get out or can’t find what you need? Head to a hardware store. If you don’t find what you need in the cabinetry section, head to the pipe aisle to craft your own.

Make it obvious what look you’re going for by decorating your bathroom with some steampunk art. Choose a large canvas to serve as a focal point, or pick several smaller prints to place around the bathroom. You’ll find options in both muted hues and brighter colors to match your aesthetic.

Another easy way to commit to a steampunk look without spending too much money is to consider the color palette of your bathroom. Popular steampunk colors include dark shades of black, brown, green, and red. Metallics are also a hallmark of this style, so look for paints that glisten, if not for your walls themselves, for your trim pieces and baseboards.

If you’re looking for a more complex bathroom remodeling project, consider tile. You can use dark tile on the walls of your bathroom in lieu of paint, or you can invest in super-unique, steampunk-inspired mosaic tiles. Some may offer a vague industrial look, while others showcase the gears that have become synonymous with steampunk styling. Decorating on a budget? A penny floor (made up of real copper-coated pennies and sealed with epoxy) is a unique idea that any DIYer can tackle.

One of the coolest things about steampunk and how it borrows from the Victorian era is that it allows you to pick up antiques and give them new life — sometimes, without any refurbishment at all. For example, if you happen to find a vintage trash pail or water bucket, you need only give it a quick dusting before introducing it to your bathroom as a trashcan. If you prefer something newer, you’ll find lots of gothic and medieval-style trash bins at home stores.

Wicker hampers have no place in a steampunk bathroom. Retire yours to the bedroom, and look for something edgier for your bath space. Wire baskets (especially vintage ones!) make great replacements, but if you buy something modern, avoid chrome as it’s too bright and shiny. Alternatively, buy the chrome and spray paint with a darker, metallic color. You can also make your own using wire fencing, but make sure that your canvas liner is darker to match its surroundings.

Speaking of hampers, how about the linens that will eventually go in them? You can find printed steampunk bathroom towels, but we think they’re a little over the top (plus, they’re unlikely to be made from good materials). Instead, look for high-quality towels in complementary colors. If you really want something that ties back to the steampunk style, look into embroidery — you can personalize your towels with your initials or gothic graphics (like skulls!)

Diehard fans can follow a tutorial that turns an ordinary white commode into a steampunk toilet throne. It takes considerable work to do it, so if you don’t have the time or finances for it, you can take a shortcut by painting the outer bowl and tank in a dark color or metallic finish and switching out the seat for a wooden one. If you want to avoid all the work, you can also invest in a beautiful matte black toilet instead.